Mar
4
2012

What is ODBC or Open Data Base Connectivity?

ODBC is the short term used for Open Database Connectivity. It is the interface used by programmers to be able to use databases using SQL queries. ODBC is also defined as another method of accessing information that is stored in your computers or even in your office. You can use ODBC to access the databases from Microsoft Access, Excel and dBase. In the perspective of the end-user, ODBC is the best way of accessing information stored in another database without the need of understanding how it is done. In the perspective of the programmer, ODBC is a code that can make programming easy enough so it can access other databases in other software.

The creators of ODBC, which is Microsoft and Simba Technologies, aim to make ODBC stand on its own. This simply means that the ODBC software doesn’t need other programming languages for it to function. Microsoft and Simba Technologies released ODBC in September 1992 and since then has become a part of the standard SQL that is internationally accepted. Since ODBC is now becoming accepted internationally, programmers are now making software that is ODBC compliant. This way, getting information from other databases using ODBC will be easy. Operating systems are now using ODBC such as UNIX and Apple.

Advantages of ODBC

The ODBC was created to be an interface that can access different kinds of databases by converting its codes into something that it can understand. This capability of ODBC has helped people access their databases without learning other programming languages. The advantage of using ODBC is that multiple applications can be opened not only to access the databases but also to manipulate or update them at the person’s leisure. The capability of the ODBC to recode the SQL is the reason behind its ability to access different databases. There is a setback to the ODBC. The rising number of ODBC clients uses up drivers and DLLs may lead to a system overload. Though this is only a small setback, the use of ODBC technology such as the Multi-tier ODBC server allows it to be addressed and lessen the problem. The development of newer drivers today is being questioned with its capability of handling ODBC. Since ODBC was created in the early 90s, it has a wider capability than the ones today. New drivers may still hold bugs which are now being remedied by programmers.

Using ODBC

Using ODBC requires three components, and these are the following – ODBC drivers, ODBC client and the DBMS or Database Management System Server. Examples of the DBMS servers are Microsoft Access, Excel, and Oracle. The process of ODBC starts with the ODBC client who will give a command for it to work together with the database server, but before the DBMS server receives the command, the ODBC driver will then transcribe the command to the code which the DBMS server can understand. This is how the ODBC works. The server will then give its reply back to the ODBC driver before it can reach the ODBC client.

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